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How to use WhatsApp on Windows

UPDATE: WhatsApp has come out with an easy way to chat from your computer. It's called WhatsApp Web and you'll need Chrome, Firefox, or Opera and the latest version of WhatsApp for Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone. Learn more about WhatsApp Web and how to use it here.

WhatsApp offers a great way to chat with friends for free (well, almost free) from your phone. But did you know you can also use WhatsApp on a Windows PC? Using the BlueStacks App Player for Windows, it's possible to install WhatsApp on your computer. This gives you the ability to send and receive WhatsApp messages without having to pull your phone out of your pocket.

How to install WhatsApp on a PC

To get WhatsApp on your computer you first need to download and install BlueStacks App Player. This is a free program that emulates Android applications on your PC. You can use it to run many Android apps and games through a windowed interface on your computer. Don't worry, it's very easy to use, as you'll see.

The next thing you'll need is a mobile phone number. This is used to verify your account and the app looks at your mobile phone contacts to find out which are using WhatsApp. If you already have WhatsApp installed on your phone it won't work, since you can only run one instance of the app per phone number.

Setting up BlueStacks

1. Click on the App Search icon in BlueStacks and perform a search for "WhatsApp". Click Find.

2. In the results list you should see WhatsApp Messenger as the top result. Click Install.

3. If you can't find WhatsApp Messenger in the BlueStacks search, or if it won't install, go download the WhatsApp APK file from the official site. Right click on the icon once downloaded, select 'Open with...' then choose BlueStacks Apk Handler. Click OK and WhatsApp will be installed in BlueStacks.

4. Once installed, clicked the WhatsApp icon in BlueStacks to launch it. When you run it for the first time you'll be asked to verify your phone number. Select your country followed by the phone number you want to use for WhatsApp.

5. When confirmation of your number comes up, make sure the number is right then click on OK to proceed.

6. WhatsApp will now attempt to send you an SMS verification message. This will fail but you need to wait until it's finished anyway.

7. When the SMS verification fails, you'll be given the option to be contacted by phone with the verification code. When you click the Call me button your phone will ring after a few seconds and a recorded message will read you the code. Type this code into the space provided.

8. When you've correctly entered the code you'll be prompted to set up your profile information. Enter a name and add a profile picture if you like.

9. You'll be reminded that WhatsApp is free to try for a month, after which time you need to pay on an annual basis.

10. After clicking Continue your WhatsApp contacts list will be loaded. This is based on your phone contacts (on the number you used) who have WhatsApp installed. Click on a contact to start chatting to them.

11. Now you can chat away to your contact on WhatsApp, in just the same way as you would on a mobile device. You can switch between the keyboard and emoticonsusing the icon next to the message input box.

12. It's possible to use some of the file sharing features of WhatsApp on your PC. In our tests we were able to send photos, video and audio. To send files using WhatsApp click on the paper clip icon in the top-right corner.

Conclusion

There you have it! That's how you can run WhatsApp on your PC. While it might be a work-around, it performs well and will tide most users over until WhatsApp decides to release a desktop client.

Commented

User

trad lbank |

Date

19/03/13

Your avatar

I want to know why the whatsapp don't writing arabic on pc
Is there any solve to write in arabic
where's the problem from the pc or from the version

User

hitendraupadhyay |

Date

22/03/13

Your avatar

i want to download on pc

User

DOODKLE GOGLERADS |

Date

23/03/13

Your avatar

@TRAD IBANK

User

BLACK VIRUS |

Date

25/03/13

Your avatar

well thank you for the imfo its very usefull

User

Eliskabarnard |

Date

26/03/13

Your avatar

I want to download it on my computer

User

fambie |

Date

26/03/13

Your avatar

i need the same whatsaap both on my phone and my computer what do i do?

User

renata |

Date

03/04/13

Your avatar

if i want to use whatsapp on pc, should i turn off the internet connection..?

User

Peter |

Date

04/04/13

Your avatar

my watssap don't work properly on my windows8 it doesn't close,minimise or add contacts. what could be the problem

User

Ephraim |

Date

05/04/13

Your avatar

I can't install BlueStacks App Player on windows xp, it requires NET framework 2.0 SP2.How can i get whatsapp

User

jaypal |

Date

06/04/13

Your avatar

my whats app install at step 9 , but when i click on step 10 ( " invite your friends > tell your friend ) button , whatts app reply me sorry u may not have email client on this phone..... so help me pls..... what can i do ?

User

butt |

Date

08/04/13

Your avatar

your what app are not fully download plz 1time more download

User

mevegas |

Date

09/04/13

Your avatar

why is it dat installing demands 2GB RAM .am is 1GB

User

Swapnil |

Date

22/04/13

Your avatar

my whats app install at step 9 , but when i click on step 10 ( " invite your friends > tell your friend ) button , whatts app reply me sorry u may not have email client on this phone..... so help me pls..... what can i do ?

User

Sehar |

Date

22/04/13

Your avatar

I Can't install bluestacks on my netbook, it says your graphics card has to be updated and i did update it still can't. what should i do? i need it so badly. please help me out.

User

dave |

Date

23/04/13

Your avatar

cool staff man ....thanks alot finally i can use it on my pc

User

vasu |

Date

10/05/13

Your avatar

i can't install blue stack please help me out .i need it

User

fra |

Date

10/05/13

Your avatar

Finally there is someone who really knows what they are doing. Thank you so much for explaining this in such a clear way. I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

User

Guillem |

Date

14/05/13

Your avatar

I really like Line.

User

Ankit |

Date

21/05/13

Your avatar

Works like a charm.. Thanks a ton for such a great explanation.
Thank you

User

saeed |

Date

21/05/13

Your avatar

how can i see my received photos on my pc?
where can i find it?

User

James |

Date

22/05/13

Your avatar

I cant watch videos sometimes. I just get the sound with lines going across the screen. To be fair its only happened on one video out of 10

Any ideas?

User

Srinivasan |

Date

24/05/13

Your avatar

how can i attach my videos in my pc - to send any mobiles

User

Shubhankar Roy |

Date

24/05/13

Your avatar

its says that Bluestacks currently doesnot recognise your graphics card.It is possible your Graphic driver may need to be updated.

User

No one |

Date

27/05/13

Your avatar

Thanks a lot it did work

User

ber bir |

Date

29/05/13

Your avatar

I don't like bluestacks Cuz its the looks ugly I only like the July bean soft were

User

aqb589 |

Date

02/06/13

Your avatar

how to use the same whatsapp on both the devices..it seems to register whatsapp on one device at a time, and not both...i want it to work in a way that when i receive a whatsapp msg, it should give a notification on both the devices, phone and pc...in this case, it goes to ONE of the device, where the whatsapp is registered

User

sarath |

Date

05/06/13

Your avatar

my problem is i installed blue stack and used watsapp but
my netconnection is losing frequenly may be it require greater speed than i had. and with the speed i have i can use skype vedio call.

User

dexter |

Date

07/06/13

Your avatar

It works but still it is useless as you can use Whatsapp on only one device at a time. So if you use it on your PC, the phone gets disconnected. :(

User

Peek-a-Boo |

Date

08/06/13

Your avatar

This is a great gadget. However its not much use because most of the BlueStacks functionalities revolve around copying your phone. SO you end up with an emulator that replicates a device that is touch screen friendly - trying to do everything with a mouse LOL!

For now, a very nice gadget but not very useful. Also remember Whatsapp can only connect to one device at a time. So thats not much use either.

User

Huzaif Quazi |

Date

12/06/13

Your avatar

I Need Net Fame Work 3.0

User

kartik_patel |

Date

16/06/13

Your avatar

bluestacks is not working on my laptop

User

anu_shri |

Date

18/06/13

Your avatar

i m unable to add contacts n not able to click clear pics...what to do plz suggest me admin

User

Syed Hassan |

Date

19/06/13

Your avatar

i love so much this in pc goods your company if u any job in ur company

User

king |

Date

20/06/13

Your avatar

will it work on windows 8 pro

User

Dharanidhar |

Date

23/06/13

Your avatar

This all is very basic thing, you need not keep pics and explain i suppose, just text would do.

By the way, what if we want to send some file on desktop via whatsapp? is it possible??

I need the location where the default images folders reside #whatsapp-Bluestack

User

kashaf khan |

Date

25/06/13

Your avatar

in whatsapp there is no concept of login.if i use whatsapp on pc or mobile evrybody can read my personal messages which i dont want plzzz help me :(

User

pramod |

Date

29/06/13

Your avatar

thankyou for giving arround the world.

User

jagdish.30091990@gmail.com |

Date

30/06/13

Your avatar

I have installed the Whats app, but contact list does not appeared. what should i do please reply

User

sagar |

Date

30/06/13

Your avatar

but, how can we upload photo from pc memory, it use only it's gallery.

User

Prathmesh Kushwaha |

Date

30/06/13

Your avatar

Hey could not installed this software
Failed initially. So please tell me the requirements of this application

User

Ramish |

Date

01/07/13

Your avatar

in Blue Stacks i con not find whats app what should i do?

User

sandiip |

Date

02/07/13

Your avatar

if i make a/c on whatsapp via PC can use same a/c on mobile phone or need to make another one...u have mention "If you already have WhatsApp installed on your phone it won't work"

User

rehan |

Date

07/07/13

Your avatar

good

User

pooja |

Date

12/07/13

Your avatar

i want to use whatsapp for pc

User

r |

Date

18/07/13

Your avatar

it doesn't complete its installation???

User

ajaz tantray |

Date

18/07/13

Your avatar

when i request it for confirmation code, it shows that massage.."ITS LOOK LIKE YOUR CLIENT HAS BEEN MODIFIED, PLEASE DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION FRO GOOGLE PLAY" what to do, guide me.